Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just bought our flight to Daytona!! Who's going?? I hope everybody has luck down there - breeders and hobbyists in selling what they can and getting what they want!!
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Cheers!
• Chelsea Lynn Gardiner
(and Frank M. Wood)

We are making the trip this year...all the way from the Pacific Northwest, just about as far away from Daytona as you can get in the continental US....

I look forward to see all the vendors and the cool stuff they are going to be showing off...
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Executive Reptiles
Amanda Kingsbury & David Kendrick
www.executivereptiles.com

erm... if you buy stuff at the show... how do you get it home with you on the plane?

or do you just ship it back...

~Beth
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The rescue site: www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue

They have a shipping table right there at the show.

I think many vendors let you pay and then they ship after the show?...Good Question..
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Executive Reptiles
Amanda Kingsbury & David Kendrick
www.executivereptiles.com

Can't wait! Most vendors are more than willing to ship for you. You may have to pay to get it shipped, but worth it if you're flying in. It's shaping up to be a great show...
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Primeval-Beauty
"Finding beauty where other's fear to tread"

some of the vendors that have been regulars for years there are not gonna show this year which kind of sucks but I guess will mean more sales for locals or the others.

NERD, Ralph Davis, Pro Exotics are just a few not on the vendor list this year and while there are plenty of great vendors on the list it would have been cool to see them too.
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Kevin Earley
Gila Monsters - Beaded Lizards - Ball Pythons

Nerd...Ralph Davis...and Pro Exotics are not going to be there? WOW...How many others are not attending? I didn't know that....thats sucks...I wonder why?

That REALLY sucks....
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Executive Reptiles
Amanda Kingsbury & David Kendrick
www.executivereptiles.com

and I really don't know for sure, just assuming, is that the cost of traveling with all of the stock for the show might not be able to be off set with today's economy. But begs one to ask if that is true then why do they do other shows and there are plenty of people traveling from other places too. I really don't know.

I have been going to the National Breeder's Expo since it started in Orlando in the early 90s and it always seemd to attract a wide variety of visitors from all around the world, maybe more so when it was in Orlando due to location. Anyway I would think with the US dollar to the Euro this would be prime for European collectors/suppliers to make a great profit by buying here and selling it at home.

But once again as I said, What do I know and I don't do this for a living. I am sure that if I did I would have a better idea than just assuming.

Here is the list and there are going to be plenty of GREAT vendors there

http://www.reptilebreedersexpo.com/2008/Vendors List 08.pdf

it was just an observation I made.
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Kevin Earley
Gila Monsters - Beaded Lizards - Ball Pythons

I had always heard (not sure if its true) that many breeders waited till the National show to present and release new morphs never seen before...? I was hoping to see some new combos or new morphs that had never been revealed...but I am not sure if thats true or not.

Its going to be exciting no matter what...I can't wait.
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Executive Reptiles
Amanda Kingsbury & David Kendrick
www.executivereptiles.com

just remember to take pics and post them up!

Pitoon

No problem. And like I said there are still a lot of people that are going to be there that are more than worth seeing, just look at the list and you can see that. I was just surprised when NERD, Ralph Davis, Pro Exotics, Bob Clark etc. are not on the list when they have been there for years.

And if you are there to see ball python morphs there is still going to be:

Alan Bosch
BHB
Gulf Coast Reptiles
Graziani
Ben Seigel
VPI
and many many more
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Kevin Earley
Gila Monsters - Beaded Lizards - Ball Pythons

I was told the cost is too great and the income of the show is too small for some of the larger breeders to go. In addition, the large constrictor laws have deterred alot of breeders as well. One breeder who WILL be at the show said the tables are RIDICULOUSLY expensive all in themselves. And I think it was 6 of the major breeders that backed out this year...

...and more have dropped out for next year. That's why I made the last minute decision to pull the money and go. Its seems the infamous Daytona is dwindling, and I want to be there while there still is a Daytona worth going to.

I didn't think so many would back out this year due to all the proposed laws... you would think at times like this its the most important time to ban together for the famous Daytona and give a really impressive convention -- to show off how our hobby brings people together peacefully, and that our reptiles aren't so scary, and most of all, what we contribute to the economy. Its kind of disappointing really that some of them aren't showing, just for that fact.

Either way, though some breeders aren't going, other great breeders are, and I think its still going to be a GREAT show... I'm looking forward to it
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Cheers!
• Chelsea Lynn Gardiner
(and Frank M. Wood)

Just a few years ago, a "big breeder" was making $100K in sales at Daytona.
Today, morphs are selling for much lower.....even combos....and the cost to travel is much higher.
After packing up the truck and trailer and hauling your crew to Daytona and back (to Maryland)......I don't see how it can be worth it anymore.

While I cant speak for alot of the big boys I can say this.
We did Daytona as vendors for 3 years now, every single year we had boa morphs, ball morphs and some bloods and GTP, so we had some variety. We had all the big banners and exspensive displays but lost money every single time. I am not saying that everyone looses money, but between the electric bill they hit you with the table costs and the permits (not including travel) it really adds up fast. Alot of the people that are buying at the show either already pre-paid for an animal with a big vendor and are picking up or are people who have already established a relationship with a breeder and coming back for a new addition. We will be going again this year but only as lookers so we can enjoy the show more with out the headaches of setups and selling. We have a "big" breeder friend that will be setting up and we will be helping him with his tables. He does amazing at the show every year but like I said alot is presold or repeat customers.
Good luck to all everyone going and safe travels
Kim

Yeah, its definitely not worth the money for the big guys to go. I've talked to two major breeders -- one that's sticking it out this year and another that's not -- and the cost is ridiculous. The tables themselves are extremely expensive, plus the cost of shipping your reptiles (air or gas), plus the hotel. It's not as much of a vacation for them as it is for us, the consumers.

I just thought everyone would have REALLY been down for going this year.... To make a stand... A presentation... in the face of adversity and laws passing against our community. I just feel as though Daytona would have been more important, for principle, not for cash.
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Cheers!
• Chelsea Lynn Gardiner
(and Frank M. Wood)

...and more have dropped out for next year. That's why I made the last minute decision to pull the money and go. Its seems the infamous Daytona is dwindling, and I want to be there while there still is a Daytona worth going to.

That sucks...I guess I am glad I am going this year too, We ALMOST went last year...but chose to go to the NARBC show in Chicago instead (we had friends there that had a table)....I always had it in my head that the Daytona show was the BIG ONE...the one that all the european vendors came too, and all the new stuff was unveiled...ect..It sucks to hear its going this route...

I wonder if the NARBC shows are going to get bigger now that Daytona is getting smaller....I always thought it was cool for EVERYONE to go to at least one show...and show off thier hard work...sounds like more people are sticking closer to home...and with the NARBC show at different locations all across the States...sounds like the days of going to one big show are comming to a close...now for someone like me who wants to see Ralph Davis's new stuff, and maybe some others...I might have to hit several shows...instead of going to one big one...That sucks...

This is probably going to be our one and only time we ever go to the Daytona show....Hopefully it will still be fun, and we still get to see some new things...
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Executive Reptiles
Amanda Kingsbury & David Kendrick
www.executivereptiles.com